lead rein to first ridden

[jasperjoe]

Hi there
I was looking for help to encourage our 5 year old shetland to be ridden without the lead rein . He has always been a forward going pony on the lead rein but take him off and he just follows me round like a dog. My son uses voice and leg aids but usually the pony stops and waits for me to move him on.
However If let him off the rein in an open field or similar I get the feeling we wouldnt see him for dust.and I haven't been brave enough to try! He is totally bombproof on the roads on nothing seems to phase him. He just seems very insecure to go it alone in the schooling area He is only 38" so cant get on him myself
Any advice gratefully recieved Thanks

[Wally]

It can be a problem, I find driving them or long reins gives them the confidence to go on without you having to be up front with them.

If you can find a fearless Shetland jockey you could try him out with a more experienced rider to see if he does go like stink.

Would your son stay on a fast gallop? more to the point would he enjoy it?

[jasperjoe]

Hi Wally me again the clueless one with the 2 shetlands.
My son is quite fearless at the moment but after a gallop around the fields on joe he might loose that quality!
I think I might ask at the local stables for an older light weight to help out .
Never done any long reining or driving before , better go off and get a book to see if I am up to the job!

[lawgirl]

Wally,,

I dont know if you intended it, but boy did your post make me laugh LOL LOL

I just got the visual of the son running through the field, yelling and screaming that he now wants off and this is not working for him LOL


Have a nice day

:D

[Wally]

...when you have worked with Shetlands this is not an imaginary scenario!

We almost lost all bladder control this year at a big Shetland Show. Thelwell eat your heart out.

During the WHP class there were five teeny tiny jumps to negotiate. There were maybe 8 combatants ( I would say competitors but sometimes when you ride a Shetland.......)

Anyway, each child and pony scuttled up to the first fence and PLOP, off came the child, we got to combatant no. 4 who managed to get to fence 3 before being launched.:D :D :D The new HSE rules state that if a kiddie falls they can not remount and continue.....they were getting thin on the ground and they had a trophy to present, so they stopped the jumping and got the last 3 remaining lambs to the slaughter just to canter round!!

This is why we drive them and long rein them, it just help maintain slight decorum.

[lawgirl]

Oh Wally, you need not tell me, the first horse I ever had was a gorgous grey/dapple Welch pony.

Oh, I would say I was around 6-7 my sister was around 5-6. We were so excited!!! I had worked around my grandfathers ranch, he owned and raced SB's, my very first horse of my very own,,yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

My dad got him out, saddled him up,,,,decided since my sister was the youngest, she should get on first so that he could lead her around.

Everyone is doing fine, all of a sudden, welch decides to bolt, slipping the lead from my fathers hand,,,off goes the horse, down the road, my little sister's long golden hair flapping in the breez, knuckles white as paper as she held on with both hands to the saddle horn, screaming bloody murder, for appx. 2 miles!!

The horse came to a complete stop under my Aunt's tree, whereas, my green faced sister fell off!

Needless to say, I went back to Grandpa's and continued to mount full grown SB's before I would even consider riding that wild banchy!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So you see, I had a great visual going with your post!!! LOL

Thank you for the laugh.

Wendy